Industry Alliance Forum meeting
Tuesday 6th May 2025, London
The Industry Alliance Forum meeting will unite the UKRI Mental Health Platform with key industry partners to shape the future of mental healthcare. In attendance:
- Selected Industry partners from the UKRI Mental Health Platform Industry Alliance
- Leading researchers from the Mental Health Platform
- Experts with lived experience
At this full-day event, Industry Alliance members will come together to talk about the current challenges faced on all sides, with solution-focused discussions.
Spotlight talks will showcase the research from two of the MHP Hubs:
- Professor Ed Bullmore from ImmunoMIND
- Professor Ann John from DATAMIND
Talks will lead into multi-disciplinary conversations to identify opportunities for collaboration. The aim will be to initiate projects and find tangible outcomes that will create a step-change in the treatment of severe mental illness.
More about the Industry Alliance
The purpose of the Industry Alliance is to facilitate trusted and impactful collaboration to accelerate research into severe mental illness (including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and major depression). It aims to improve the diagnosis and treatment of those living with these conditions, by bringing together academics, industry professionals and people with lived experience of severe mental illness.
The MHP Industry Alliance is a partnership between:
- UKRI Mental Health Platform
- DATAMIND (The HDR UK Hub for Mental Health)
- Medicines Discovery Catapult
Two Hubs will showcase their research at the event:
ImmunoMIND
ImmunoMIND leads research linking physical and mental health. They have previously published insights into immuno-metabolic depression, and are now innovating research targeting the immune and metabolic causes of severe mental illness, with the potential for the discovery and development of new treatments.
Professor Ed Bullmore, ImmunoMIND Hub leader says:
The Alliance will provide a powerful mechanism to make academic expertise more visible and accessible to industry partners.
It will also make academic leaders better informed about the key questions and challenges industry is facing, which we will then be able to address more effectively by collaborative working.
DATAMIND
DATAMIND is a unique resource which safely and securely brings together UK mental health data. This established data hub enables coordinated research with the aim of improving people’s lives. The datasets it supports have the potential to form new and unique links across disciplines, covering genomics, routine care, cohort and trials for research and innovation across academia, the NHS, third sector, policy makers and industry.
Professor Ann John & Professor Rob Stewart, Co-Directors, DATAMIND say:
DATAMIND has been working with industry to unlock the potential of mental health data, helping to drive innovation in research, diagnosis, and treatment. Central to this work is ensuring that people with lived experience are meaningfully involved in shaping research and its applications.
The Mental Health Platform Industry Alliance is a great opportunity to build on this, bringing together industry, researchers, and people with lived experience to tackle further shared challenges. The May 6th meeting is a key moment for these conversations, helping to shape new collaborations and ideas that could make a real impact.
Experts with lived experience
Including people with lived experience of severe mental illness early in the health innovation process ensures research is aligned with real-world needs from the beginning and leads to more patient-centred therapies and interventions.
This not only streamlines development but also maximises efficiency, reducing costs and resource use across the drug development pipeline, benefiting everyone involved.
Please note:
Attendance is limited to invited members of the Industry Alliance. A summary of activities and discussions will be available on the MHP website after the event.
Industry Forum: a Researcher Perspective
Industry Forum: a Lived Experience Perspective
